The #1 New York Times–bestselling story about American Olympic triumph in Nazi Germany and now the inspiration for the PBS documentary “The Boys of ‘36’.”For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American … working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant.
It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The emotional heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a real place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys’ own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, Brown has created an unforgettable portrait of an era, a celebration of a remarkable achievement, and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest.
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Super human interest and sports story and a great history; very well written and filled with interesting and informative detail.
Absolutely could not put it down! It should be recommended reading in high school.
Excellent novel based on a true story during WWII and the USA scull team from WA university and the 1936 Olympics in Berlin
Loved the characters loved the history as the rowing team from the US went to Germany for the Olympics at the beginning of Hitler’s reign of terror. Highly recommend
I went to the U. of Washington, and I always thought that crew members were privileged rich kids. Little did I know! This is a fascinating story of crew members who had hard lives and were to accomplish amazing feats. The story informs the reader not only about the the students, but also about others surrounding them. I cannot recommend this book …
This was my book club’s book for March (I picked it out actually). I really really enjoyed it. There was a lot of information about the sport of rowing, so I definitely learned from it. At the same time the author did an excellent job of bringing the “boys in the boat” and those who supported them to life. I was also intrigued by how the author …
Delightful slice of history, demonstrating what individual and team can do when willing and inspired. Plus, just a darn great story.
Excellent book about the Olympics and inspirational.
Bought two more for friends.
Such a well written true story that captivated me from the first page. Made me feel like I was right there in the boat while the crew was rowing. Couldn’t put the book down. Highly recommended.
A great book to read.
Don’t miss this one.
Fascinating and well-written…a great historical read.
Excellent non-fiction. Very well-written.
I have wanted to get a rowing scull since reading this book! Very interesting story of the University of Washington crew team and their journey to qualify and compete at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Individual team members and coaches lives are also part of this very compelling book.
Great for book clubs.
A great true story!
As a rower it helped me a lot to understand the benefits of working as a crew.
A bit overblown.
One of my all time favorites! Great writing and character description, an interesting piece of history and a triumph of spirit and will. This is an inspirational American true story.